Parenting Cooperative Extension Service Kenton County 10990 Marshall Road Covington, KY 41015-9326 (859) 356-3155 Fax: (859) 356-0363

Kentoncountyextension.org

July/August 2016

Family Checkup:

Positive Parenting Prevents Drug Abuse

Could your kids be at risk for substance abuse?

Y ou cannot turn on the television or open a newspaper without hearing about the heroin epidemic sweeping the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati region. Families are striving to find the best ways to raise their children to live happy, healthy, and

productive lives. Parents are often concerned about whether their children will start or are already using drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and others, including the abuse of prescription drugs. Research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has shown the important role that parents play in preventing their children from starting to use drugs. The following five questions, developed by the Child and Family Center at the University of Oregon, highlight parenting skills that are important in preventing the initiation and progression of drug use among youth. For each question, a video clip shows positive and negative examples of the skill, and additional videos and information are provided to help you practice positive parenting skills. Visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse at: http://www.drugabuse.gov/family-checkup for the answers to

these questions: Are you able to communicate calmly and clearly with your teenager regarding relationship problems?

Do you encourage positive behaviors in your teenager on a daily basis?

Are you able to negotiate emotional conflicts with your teenager and work

toward a solution?

Are you able to calmly set limits when your teenager is defiant or disre-spectful? Are you able to set limits on more serious problem behavior such

as drug use, if or when it occurs?

Do you monitor your teenager to assure that he or she does not spend too

much unsupervised time with peers?

Inside this Edition

1 Timely Issues

2

Nutrition Nuggets Financial Facts

3

Mentoring Minors Back to School

4 Tykes Turn

Summer travel on a budget Warm, sunny days are the perfect

occasion to hit the road to discover new things. But the dream of getting away may seem impossible to some of us when the costs of traveling, are piled on top of everyday living expenses.

These tips may make it easier for you to get away with-out breaking the bank.

1. Shorten the length of your stay. Everyone would love

to stay on the beach for a full seven days, but for some, that may not be economically feasible. Look at your budget and see how many days you can afford. You may find that you save several hundred dollars just by shortening your stay by a few days.

2. Choose off-peak vacation spots. While summer is the

peak season for most places, destinations like ski resorts that do the majority of their business during the winter months may offer discounts during the off-season. You won’t be able to ski, but you can enjoy nature, restaurants and tourist attractions, not to mention fewer crowds.

3. Look for last minute deals or specials if you are

flexible with your dates. Often airlines or hotels will offer discounts to fill empty seats and vacant rooms. Make sure you book with a reputable company when searching the Internet for deals.

4. Save money by eating in. Food can be one of the

biggest expenses of a vacation next to lodging. Having access to a kitchen in your room or vacation rental could help you prepare a couple of home-cooked meals for your family.

5. Have a staycation. Become a tourist in your own city

or region. Contact the Northern Kentucky Visitor’s Bureau at (859)261-4677 for more information on free or low-cost local summer events

6.Set a budget and follow it. Make sure everyone in your

family knows the daily spending allowance and agrees to stay within it.

7. Start a vacation savings account for next year. This

will allow you to spread the cost of the vacation over an entire year.

Health and nutrition for young children:

Hand washing

Help young children develop this habit by setting an example and doing it with them.

According to “Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters for Parents of Young Children,” the best way to teach children good hand-washing habits is for adults to practice the habit themselves. It is ineffective to just tell little children to go wash their hands; parents and caregivers should be with children to demonstrate good hand washing. You can encourage your child to count slowly to 30 or sing the alphabet song. This can help to make hand washing fun and long enough. Have a safe stepping stool, so your child can reach the soap and faucet. You could hang a hand washing reminder by the toilet.

Remind children to wash their hands before:

They handle food or eat a meal or snack

Also remind them to wash their hands after:

Handling food Using the bathroom Touching a pet Coughing or sneezing Combing hair Blowing their nose Anytime the hands get dirty

C lean hands works to prevent the spread of colds or flus. It’s easy to contaminate food and common surfaces with germs from dirty hands. The importance of washing our

hands along with the child is to emphasize the correct way to getting the hands clean. We need to get the hands wet, add soap and wash for 30 seconds from top to the bottom, in-between the fingers, under the nails and include the wrist. Then we can have a healthier home! Source: Ann Arnold, Michigan State University Extension

Relatives Raising Children Support Group Luncheon

If you are one of the thousands in the state

raising a relatives child/children you are not alone! Emotional support as well as information on available resources and parenting tips is available at the monthly support group luncheons. This program is a collaborative effort with the Family Resource Centers in Kenton County. Free child-care is available upon request. No fee.

Location: Durr Annex Dixie Highway, Edgewood (K-Mart Plaza) Time:12 p.m.-1 p.m.

Dates: September 2

October 7 November 4 December 2 January 6

Building “grand” fathers

Many of us have fond memories of our grandfa-thers… the stories, the candy, the fishing lessons and life lessons we learn while visiting them are things we treasure and carry with us throughout our lives. But as family dynamics have changed, more and more grandfathers are finding the old adage of “spoil them rotten and send them home” is no longer a reality. In fact, around 2.4 million grandparents across the United States are now raising their grandchildren.

M en are as caring and nurturing with the children as women and the same holds true for grandfathers who care

for their grandchildren full time. Grandfathers play a vital role in the lives of these children because they provide them with support, security and encourage-ment. These things help support positive develop-ment and build self confidence in children.

Grandfathers who are retired may have more available time to spend with children. They can use this time to talk with and listen to their grandchildren and reassure them they are loved and are important family members.

They can help provide a link to the past by sharing stories and reminiscing with their grand-children. This helps children make connections between the past and the present.

A t a time when many younger families are dissolved by divorce, it’s not necessarily true with older generations. Grandfathers

in this situation have a unique opportunity to show their grandchildren mature, adult love exists and is attainable by holding hands, hugging and kissing their spouse in front of their grandchildren.

Many grandfathers feel ill prepared, scared and worried about parenting a second time. At the same time, they are eager to provide the loving, caring and supporting environment their grandchild needs. Here are some helpful tips:

Seek out support groups. These groups provide a place for people to give and receive emotional and practical support and the opportunity to exchange information.

Take care of yourself physically and seek help from friends and family when necessary. Be an example of healthy aging. Source: Angelica Reina, Child Development and Parenting Education Extension Specialist

Parenting Relationship Smarts in your Teen

This two part class will teach strategies for

building a healthy relationship with your tween or teen and highlight ways to instill relationship

smarts in your child.

October 4th and October 11th Time—6 p.m. Durr Center

Corner of Taylor Mill and Marshall Road (Across from Kenton County YMCA) Please call (859)356-3155 to register

Kathy R. Byrnes Joan Bowling

Kenton County Extension Agents

for Family & Consumer Sciences

Sincerely,

Tykes Turn

Check off words as you find them

Baseball Swimming

Parks Beach Fishing

Camping Reunions

Horseshoes Badmitten

Tennis Sunglasses

Hats Sunscreen

E N U J R J K I T M F N C U L

N E X Q Q J N Z Y S C A O L N

S E S S A L G N U S M F A D H

K R T C J T N G I P P B B O F

R C T T N G S R I H E U R X I

A S L C I R X N E S Z S J I S

P N J H M M G B A U E K T T H

G U H A T S D B B S N E N X I

B S U J S B S A H V O I C J N

S N A T N U S O B A Z Y O O G

H I V R H M E S W I M M I N G

G Z N C J S J F I W T U Z G S

T M A N Y E U E T N N Z P K W

F E L K E K A S Y F M V B M A

B N J V W T W C P X W U P X H

PARENT’S POW-WOW: FAMILY MEALTIME

It takes a little work to bring all family members together for meals. But it’s worth it, and the whole family eats better. Start eating meals together as a

family when your kids are young. This way, it becomes a habit.

Plan when you will eat together as a family. Write it on your calendar.

You may not be able to eat together each day, but aim to have family meals at least four times a week.

Source: USDA Child Feeding Tips

Food Facts—Vegetables

L earn the many benefits of adding vegetables to your meals. They are low in fat and calories, while supplying fiber and other key nutrients. Vegetables

don’t just add nutrition to meals. They can also add color, flavor, and texture. Explore these creative ways to bring healthy foods to your table: Get in on the stir-frying fun. Try something new! Stir-fry

your veggies (such as broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, or green beans) for a quick-and-easy meal.

Liven up an omelet. Boost the color and flavor of your morning omelet with vegetables. Simply chop, sauté, and add them to the egg as it cooks. Try adding veggies (such as mushrooms, spinach, onions, or bell peppers).

Expand the flavor of your casseroles. Mix vegetables (like sautéed onions, peas, pinto beans, or tomatoes) into your favorite dish for extra flavor.

Source: USDA MyPlate